Animals.: Season 1 - TV Reviews

Ever since the animated series premiered on HBO earlier this month, it's presented a comically perverse look at the animal kingdom.

Full Review | May 30, 2018

There's nothing particularly new about television shows trying to humanize animals, but "Animals" pushes this tendency to the extreme.

Full Review | May 30, 2018

I could see this hilarious television series either becoming a big hit with a strong word of mouth ("have you seen that show...") or, at very worst, earning its place amongst other loved cult classics.

Full Review | May 30, 2018

This isn't a show that's trying overly hard to impress you with its technical achievements; the visuals are there primarily to give you something to look at while you listen to the charmingly loose and surprisingly subtle vocal performances.

Full Review | May 30, 2018

The ridiculousness of it all is what makes the show work its magic.

Full Review | Mar 2, 2016

Animals observe, imitate humans in crude animated comedy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 16, 2016

To stand out and survive now you have to be both great and lucky -- being a jaded, foul-mouthed animal isn't enough.

Full Review | Feb 8, 2016

Animals is a comedy that largely ignores character and story, choosing instead to lean almost solely on its concept, which isn't even that funny or original to begin with.

Full Review | Feb 8, 2016

It's in that cleverness that Animals could develop a loyal audience, but its very specific tone and alienating animation also makes it a hard sell. Luckily for those in the former camp there will be time to spread the word.

Full Review | Feb 8, 2016

The series swims (pun intended) around major cultural discussions and yet offers nothing in terms of detail.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Feb 5, 2016

Animals might be the best Adult Swim cartoon that never aired on Adult Swim.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Feb 5, 2016

Animals is an odd duck (pun intended), a show that will surely be polarizing. It would fit right in on something like Adult Swim or Comedy Central, but perhaps HBO has decided it's best to become a bit weird.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Feb 5, 2016

Animals is intriguing, and if you're in the right mood, its leisurely pace and slacker rhythms can pull you in for a while.

Full Review | Feb 5, 2016

For years, I've wished animals could speak, but it took only four half-hour episodes of HBO's new animated series Animals for me to pray they'd shut up.

Full Review | Feb 5, 2016

An amiable and ambling amusement but rarely much more than that, Animals is most notable for how weirdly committed it is to furthering a sense of inner-city ennui.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Feb 5, 2016

Unfortunately, the writing isn't consistently funny enough to make up for the, well, shaggy dog storytelling.

Full Review | Feb 4, 2016

In a sea of new television offerings, it's hard to dismiss something with as strong and focused a voice as this, even if it may not be your cup of tea.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Feb 4, 2016

It is unfunny, its animation is unexceptional and the studied banality of its dialogue is excruciating.

Full Review | Feb 3, 2016

The deadpan approach only enhances the delicious off-the-wall comedy of Animals. The series is batty and brilliant as it turns the whole notion of anthropomorphic cartoon animals on its fuzzy ear.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Feb 2, 2016